


under the premise of friends

by yellowteapots



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, not so platonic friend dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 01:47:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6883978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowteapots/pseuds/yellowteapots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bellamy 18:50<br/>Clarke, I'm sorry about earlier.</p><p>He's expecting all sorts of things from her reply – colourful use of curse words, thinly veiled insults and passive aggression –  if she even responds at all, but the response he gets is certainly not one of them.</p><p>Princess 18:52<br/>You owe me ten dollars</p><p>or, a little platonic dating never hurt anyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	under the premise of friends

**Author's Note:**

> I really tried to make this work so I hope it comes across that way. I just wanted to contribute something before the finale and I hope you enjoy this.  
> Also, I've got two minty fics on the go so if that's your thing stay tuned for those!  
> -  
> As usual I'll love you forever if you comment with your fave part!

Rage burns in her eyes like it hasn't done for a long while.

He knows he's crossed a line when her bottom lip begins to wobble dangerously.He's hit a little too close to the bone to be able to win her back round.He's always been aware that this push and pull that they usually have between them can get confrontational, hostile even, but pushing Clarke over her relationship with her mother is never a good idea.

Bellamy can only watch as she swings her messenger bag over her shoulder and storms out of the room, hair streaming behind her like a cape.He lets out a groan, cursing himself, and only hesitates for a second before following after her and calling her name.

“Clarke c'mon wait...”Bellamy sighs, knowing all too well that he's going to have to swallow his pride.Which is something he is certainly less than fond of, especially when it comes to Clarke Griffin.

But it's become a lot easier recently.

She shows no signs of stopping, though, and even though he knows he looks like a fool he still picks up the pace and practically runs after her.

He just about catches up to her when he notices a scrap of paper – no, a bank note – fall out of her back pocket. Bellamy ducks down and plucks the crumpled note from the floor, holding it out to her as she turns, fully intending to hand it back to her.

“For the last time, Bellamy, just leave me alone...” she frowns, tightening her grip on the strap of her bag. She shoots him one last glare before stalking off, not giving him a chance to apologise.

“Alright then, looks like lunch is on you today Princess.” he mumbles, pocketing the bill.

They'd been getting on better recently, sniping at each other less and actually getting along with like two people with this much in common should do, so it surprised him that they'd gotten into it again over something so stupid as college tuition.

The one thing that had always been guaranteed to rile them up was money. Bellamy had never had enough growing up whilst Clarke had had too much which was more than enough, in Bellamy's mind, to dislike her on principle. He'd been younger then, quicker to judge and had a temper to rival only Clarke herself. They'd locked horns far too many times to count before they both realised just how ridiculous they were being the whole time.

And there he was, too busy banging on about how she should treat her mum better since she was paying her way through college to notice the way her lip was trembling and her fists clenching at her sides. But how could he to know that her dad had set up a tuition fund for her before he died?

He knows he can be a dick sometimes but this time he wasn't trying to be one.

-

Bellamy had been feeling guilty about upsetting Clarke all day – hey, he couldn't even enjoy the sub he'd bought for lunch and everyone knows that food paid for by someone else always tastes better – and after he gets back from his last lecture of the day he debates maybe calling to apologise.

When he walks through the door to his and Miller's apartment he's not surprised to see his sister sprawled across their beat up sofa, eating a pint of ice cream straight out of the tub. He can hear the shower running too so Miller must have let her in after his run although he wouldn't be at all surprised if he forgot to lock the front door since he was in such a rush to get to his 9am.

“Good day?” he asks, dropping his backpack on the kitchen counter before grabbing himself a spoon.

She shrugs, non-committal. “Same old shit, different day. You?”

“S'alright.” he mumbles through a mouthful of chocolate chip.

“So you and Clarke didn't get into a fight in the library earlier?” she snorts, waving her spoon inquisitorially in his face.

“She told you, huh?” he groans. He's feeling bad enough already without his sister getting on his case too.

“No, Monty saw the whole thing but when I saw her earlier she looked pissed.” she says drawing out the 'I' for emphasis. “And I don't mean like how she sometimes looks mildly annoyed at the world. I mean next level pissed.”

“What d'you do this time?”

He glares at her, affronted. Who's side is she on anyway? “Who says _I_ did anything?”

“Oh, please.”

She's got him there.

Bellamy watches as Octavia switches the channel over to some reality show and he can feel the weight of his phone lying in his pocket. Maybe texting would be safer than calling - this way she can't just decline the call, he decides, digging out his phone and typing out a quick message. He reads it over a couple of times, his thumb hovering over the send button, as he gather his courage and begins to swallow his pride.

  
  


**Bellamy 18:50**

_Clarke, I'm sorry about earlier._

  
  


He's expecting all sorts of things from her reply – colourful use of curse words, thinly veiled insults and passive aggression – if she even responds at all, but the response he gets it certainly not one of them.

**Princess 18:52**

_You owe me ten dollars_

  
  


**Princess 18:53**

_And I want it back_

**Bellamy 18:59**

_You dropped it_

  
  


**Bellamy 19:01**

_Besides, technically I tried to give it back_

  
  


**Princess 19:07**

_Wait, what?_

  
  


**Bellamy 19:15**

_I tried to give it back to you and you refused it_

  
  


**Bellamy 19:15**

_The way I see it you just volunteered to buy me lunch._

  
  


**Bellamy 19:16**

_Our first date how romantic._

  
  


**Bellamy 19:16**

_I have seven dollars left actually._

  
  


**Princess 19:18**

_You mean I have 7 dollars?_

  
  


**Bellamy 19:19**

_Nope._

  
  


**Bellamy 19:20**

_How about I buy you dinner to make up for it?_

  
  


**Princess 19:25**

_You're ridiculous Bellamy -.-_

  
  


**Bellamy 19:26**

_Is that a yes?_

  
  


**Princess 19:29**

_Yes._

  
  


**Princess 19:30**

_But I'm not happy about it._

  
  


**Bellamy 19:32**

_Dropship @ 8?_

  
  


**Princess 19:34**

_9._

  
  


“Hey, Bell!” Octavia nudges at him with the TV remote. “What's got you grinning at your phone? Or should I say _who_?”

“Huh?” he grunts.

“Is it Gina?”

He shakes his head as his phone buzzes with another message.

  
  


**Princess 19:36**

_And you have to pick me up_

  
  


He doesn't realize it but he must beam again because Octavia is throwing a pillow at his head and jumping in her seat. “Clarke?”

“No!” he says a little too quickly.

“Oh my god! It _is_ , isn't it?” she probes, eyebrow raising with delight. “You two kissing and making up yet?”

And because Bellamy is a mature adult looking to set a good example for his younger sister he flips her off and flounces off towards his bedroom to get ready. He's just managed to pull out one of his dressier shirts from his wardrobe ready to iron it when he hears Octavia yelling at Miller.

“NATE! Did hear Bellamy is taking Clarke on a date?”

“It's not a date, O!” he shouts back, removing a few creases from the sleeve. “And Clarke's a traitor for telling you that it was!”

**Bellamy 19:49**

_Traitor!!_

**Princess 19:55**

_You deserve it. Besides, I figure you owe me._

  
  


**Princess 19:56**

_Now leave me alone, I'm trying to get ready._

-

Bellamy arrives outside Clarke's apartment a good ten minutes early, parking in the lot and then taking the stairs up to the second floor.He waits a few seconds in the hall, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, before knocking on the door.

He feels weird, sort of like excitement but he's definitely _not_ nervous because this is _not_ a date despite what his sister keeps saying. It's one friend taking out another friend to an apology dinner.

“You're early!” she shouts through the door like an accusation. “It's open, but you'll have to wait I’m still getting ready.”

He pushes open the door and walks over to the couch, dropping down into the cushions. They don't hang out here all that much, usually at his or at the bar where Murphy works, but he knows it well enough that he doesn't feel awkward sitting and waiting surrounded by her things.

The apartment that she shares with Raven is like her in a lot of ways; it's tidy and elegant, yet there aren't many personal items like she doesn't want to give away too much of herself. The only way you'd be able to tell it was theirs are Raven's toolbox propped on the breakfast bar and the line of photos resting over her fire place.

They're mainly group shots or selfies with her and Raven but there are a few that are more personal like one of Clarke and her dad and another of her friend Wells in his Navy uniform. One of the smallest, in a frame of seashells, is a picture of Clarke, Octavia and himself from the previous Thanksgiving – he looks grumpy in it but his sister has her arm slung around him and Clarke is tugging a turkey hat onto his head – and he gets a sudden wave of affection for the her.

“You ready to go?”

He jumps at the sound of her voice and she laughs at him as she tugs on her shoes. She's wearing a navy shirt dress and her hair is pulled back onto a bun with a ringlet falling on each side, framing her face.

For a moment he just takes her in. She rarely gets dressed up like this and it makes him feel quite lucky that she's dressed up for their, uh, non date. He knows she's attractive but when she smiles at him then she looks positively radiant.

“Sure.” he smiles. “You, uh, look nice.”

It's a massive understatement and he actually has to remind himself that this isn't a date. He certainly does _not_ allow himself to think that it ever could be, even if she is looking at him like that.

“Thanks.”

They're in his car on the way to the restaurant when he turns down the volume of the radio. “I really am sorry, you know, about earlier. I didn't mean to upset you.”

“I know you didn't.” she shrugs. She looks sad for a moment then a sly smile spreads across her face. “Nice try, you still owe me ten dollars.”

He laughs despite himself. “I didn't take you for a cheap date, princess?”

“Don't worry, I'm not.”

He decides not to read into that too much even if they do seem to get on a lot better over dinner.

-

“You're in a remarkably good mood.” Miller grumbles, handing him his coffee. “Are you ill?”

Bellamy snorts. “Unlike some people, I am perfectly capable of being happy on the occasion.”

“Really? So this has nothing to do with your date with Clarke last night?”

“It was not a date. It was totally _platonic._ ” he groans.

Miller hums. “ _Platonic_?

“Yes, Miller, platonic. As in two friends. Together.” he snaps, downing the rest of his coffee. It burns his throat but he know that he can't let it show because Miller is already smirking at him, he doesn't need the encouragement. “I'm late so I'll see you later.” he grunts.

As usual, Bellamy only just makes it onto the bus before it pulls away. He knows he should get out of bed sooner so he doesn't have to run for the bus every morning but it's been two and a half years and he's firmly set in his ways.

He feels his phone vibrate in his coat pocket and, assuming it to be Miller, he pulls it out.

  
  


**Princess 08:42**

_Thanks for last night, Bell. You're not so bad when you're buying me food._

  
  


**Bellamy 08:44**

_A ringing endorsement. Maybe I should make it my bio ;)_

  
  


**Bellamy 08:45**

_'I'm not so bad when I'm buying you food.'_

**Princess 08:50**

_Uh, maybe you shouldn't?_

  
  


**Bellamy 09:07**

_You wound me_

  
  


**Princess 09:11**

_You shouldn't be texting me, I know you're in a lecture right now._

  
  


She's right, of course, and usually he wouldn't be texting in class. But he's done so much of the wider reading for the course that he could probably get by this semester without even attending any of the lectures. Yet he knows that if her told her – or any of their friends – they'd tell him to get his enormous head out of his ass. He knows he's not wrong though because there's a girl a couple of rows in front of him that is quite literally asleep and the professor doesn't even seem to care.

-

  
  


**Bellamy 11:12**

_So class is over now..._

  
  


His thumb hovers over the send button for just a second as he's walking out of the lecture hall. He doesn't know if they're at the stage in their friendship yet where they can just text whenever but he doesn't have to wait all the long before he gets a reply.

  
  


**Princess 11:16**

_Lucky you._

  
  


**Princess 11:17**

_Seriously, Bellamy, never do pre med_

  
  


**Princess 11:17**

_Like ever._

**Bellamy 11:20**

_God Clarke stop texting me in class_

  
  


**Bellamy 11:21**

_You're such a bad influence_

  
  


**Princess 11:24**

_STFU Blake_

  
  


He's too busy smiling at his phone to pay any attention to where he's going, managing to bump into a few freshman before almost tripping into a bin. It's not his finest moment but at least no one’s around to see it.

“Keeping it classy Blake.” Murphy sneers from where he's leaning up against a wall. He's got his beat up leather jacket hanging off one of his shoulders and a cigarette hanging between his teeth and Bellamy would find the whole thing a lot more intimidating if he didn't know Murphy half as well as he does.

“Shut up, Murphy.” he scowls, praying that he's not blushing.

He snorts, peeling himself away from the wall and stamping the dog end under his boot. “Come on man, you nearly fell in the trash.”

**Bellamy 11:30**

_It could be worse. I could be Murphy._

  
  


**Princess 11:41**

_haha true!_

  
  


“You're trash.” he knows it's lame but can't help the words as they tumble out of his mouth. He's too embarrassed to think of anything better.

The other boy doesn't reply just rolls his eyes and follows Bellamy into the cafeteria building. He often thinks that if they hadn't been room mates freshman year that they would never be friends now – if that's even what they class their relationship as – but Murphy's been an annoying fixture in his life ever since Bellamy stumbled into the dorms juggling three boxes and found him leaning out of the small window, blowing smoke away from the fire detector.

They walk over to their usual table, Bellamy drops down next to Monty, and Murphy wedges himself between Raven and Octavia, the pair of them grumbling about his bony elbows as he makes more room for himself.

Octavia pushes her tray over to him, tomato and herb pasta and a carton of orange juice like she always gets him. She waits for him to spear some of the pasta onto his fork before she speaks. “Hey, have any of you seen Clarke today?”

“She's in a lecture right now.” He answers without thinking.

“Oh really?” Raven asks and when Bellamy looks up from his food he sees the way her eyebrows are arched.

“Well,” Octavia continues, “she's in an awfully good mood today don't you think?”

When no-one answers Bellamy glances to his sister and sees that she's waiting for him to reply. “Uh, I wouldn't know. I haven't seen her.”

“Not since your _date_ last night right?”

“Hold up a second.” Raven blurts, nearly choking on a grape. “What was that about a date? You took Clarke – _Clarke Griffin_ – on an actual date?”

Bellamy rolls his eyes. “It wasn't a date.”

“Nah, he's right.” Miller scoffs, taking the seat on the other side of Monty. “Totally platonic.”

  
  


  
  


**Bellamy 12:04**

_Did you know our friends are the worst?_

  
  


**Princess 12:06**

_Yep :)_

  
  


“Yeah because I take my totally platonic friends out for a fancy meal when I've upset them.” Monty chirps, using his thumb to keep his place in his biology textbook. If Bellamy thought he could count on one of them to be on his side then it would have been Monty but apparently even he was jumping ship on this.

“As if you've offended anyone ever.” Octavia laughs.

Monty shrugs, “But if I had then I wouldn't.”

  
  


**Princess 12:12**

_Don't worry, class is over. I'll come save you_

  
  


“But seriously guys, it's not like that.”

“Sure it's not.” Miller snorts.

Clarke joins them soon after, dropping her backpack on the floor and snagging the last empty seat around the table.

“Good night last night?” Raven asks.

Clarke nods her head enthusiastically before taking a bite from her apple.

“Because you seem like you're in an unusually good mood for this time of day...” Raven trails off. “Did you have a date?”

To her credit, at least Clarke tries to hide the fact she's choking on her apple. She reaches blindly for her water and taking a few quick gulps. “Uh...what makes you say that?”

“I saw your first date outfit in the wash bin this morning.” The grin plastered across Raven's face is definitely shit eating.

He's pretty sure everyone around the table can see the way Clarke's cheeks are burning. Except for maybe Murphy who's too busy scowling at a girl sitting a few tables over from them, typing furiously on a laptop of some kind. He's thankful they're all too busy looking at her to notice the panic that's written across his face. If she was wearing her first date outfit then maybe...

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” she says, feigning nonchalance, but Bellamy clocks the glances she shoots to both Raven and his sister.

It looks like Raven's about to say something else but then there's a loud thump from under the table and Raven's wincing.

“Oh, I remember now.” Octavia starts, feigning innocence. “You and Bell went out last night didn't you?”

It was Bellamy's turn to scowl at his sister then, she wasn't fooling anyone. He probably would've jabbed his elbow into hers if they were sitting closer but he has to resort to well timed glares instead.

“Yeah.” she murmurs.

“Totally platonic though, right Clarke?” Bellamy asks. He can see Miller hiding a smirk behind his hand and wishes he'd picked better friends.

She doesn't even look at him when she replies. “Totally.”

And if nobody sitting around the table believed them they didn't push the subject any further.

  
  


**Princess 12:34**

_They really are the worst._

  
  


**Bellamy 12:35**

_I know_

  
  


**Princess 12:35**

_Pizza later?_

  
  


**Bellamy 12:37**

_Make it chow mein and you've got yourself a date ;)_

  
  


**Princess 12:40**

_God. You're almost as bad as they are!!_

  
  


**Bellamy 12:44**

_But only almost._

  
  


**Princess 12:45**

_Yeah, only almost :)_

-

  
  


When Bellamy arrives at her apartment Clarke looks nervous. It's not a look he's used to seeing on her. She pulls open the door and he can smell the take out wafting over from it's place on the breakfast bar, she steps aside and gestures for him to take a seat on the couch.

“So.” She begins once they're each settled with a plate one their laps and chilled beers resting on the coffee table.

“So?” he parrots.

“I've been thinking...”

“Yeah?”

She rolls her eyes but there's no malice behind it. “About what our friends were saying earlier. And, um, would it be so bad?”

“Um...would what?”

She sighs, twirls some noodles around her fork but doesn't attempt to eat them. “Us going on a date. Like a real one where we're both aware that it's a date.”

For a moment Bellamy thinks his brain might have begun to short circuit because he knows with almost absolute certainty that those words cannot have just left Clarke's mouth. He's also damn sure that his mouth is hanging wide open and if Octavia were here she'd tell him to close it before he got any flies in there. She'd also probably berate him for looking at Clarke like she's insane.

“Uh, I...”

Clarke looks panic stricken. “I mean only if you want to because if you don't then that's fine we can just pretend I never said anything and -”

He cuts her off with a quick press of his lips to hers. He can feel her chasing his lips as he pulls back and if he were a stronger man he'd have been able to resist leaning forward and capturing them once more. When he straightens he takes in the blush on her cheeks and the way she's doing everything in her power not to look him in the eye.

“Yes Clarke, I'll go on a date with you.”

“You will?” she says, leaning forward so that their lips are almost touching again. “How about right now?”

Just as she leans forward to kiss him again he holds his index finger to her lip. “But I don't kiss on the first date, Clarke.”

“What about the second date?” she pouts. “Because technically if we're counting last night...”

He hums, withdrawing his finger. “That's some stellar logic there.”

“Yeah, I thought so too.” she breathes and then there's no more time for talking.

  
  


 

**Author's Note:**

> come chill with me on tumblr @nathanmillerz


End file.
